Those Things Nobody Noticed
by ohsoxalive
Summary: During the Ember Island play, there are things that went unnoticed between a certain firebender and water peasant. There are moments you never even saw.


**Title: **Those Things Nobody Noticed  
**Rating:** G  
**Pairing:** subtle/light Zuko/Katara, some friendship  
**Word Count: **1,800+  
**Time/Place: **Takes place during the episode The Ember Island Players.  
**Summary: **There are certain moments shared between Zuko and Katara while they sit in this god awful play, things nobody else really cared to notice. The secret scenes the episode didn't show you.

**Author's Note: **getting back into fanfiction and zutara...I was slightly inspired by re-watching the episode. It's more like a first draft, as I feel it's missing _something, _and I'd like to know what you all think. Just...having fun with speculation and imagination. Enjoy.

--  
He only sits next to her because it makes the _most sense. _

The process of determining his place of seating began the moment he held open the door to enter this brightly red dimmed theater, his mind quickly analyzing each possible location as he pulled his hood to shadow his scarred face. These people he was living with, they were special, they were different, and it drove him crazy (in a good way, even if that made him a wee bit sick in the stomach). But Agni, were they complicated as well.

Zuko's thoughts turned to Sokka first, and his decision was fast and easy and final. With Sokka came a package, Zuko realized quickly, and he had been the one who had helped deliver it—Suki. The idiotic watertribe boy was amusing in his own way, when alone, enough to talk to or let himself be teased at just because Sokka provided a decent source of distraction with his sarcasm, over the top emotions and whininess of a child. But with Suki, it would be different. Not that he didn't like Suki, he found her wit and knowledge of weapons and fighting endearing. The fact was that it was dark in the Ember Island Theater. They were teenagers. Who don't get as much alone time as needed. And they were in love.

Zuko has had firsthand experience in this situation, and while fun and thrilling with the appropriate girl, being a _third wheel _in a hormonal peasant love fest in the back seats of a theater was certainly not. He was in no rush to watch Sokka slide hands everywhere and wrestle tongues with Suki. _ Ever. _

Toph crossed his mind, but the image that followed crumbled the thought. Her sassy remarks were perfectly fine when directed at someone else, and _occasionally_ he could take a few blows, but at this moment, in this play production that brought up memories of inducing his nine year old self to vomit foam from his mouth, he didn't need the extra comments. Just as well, the girl left bruises without explanations on his arm, no matter how many times he apologizes for burning her feet.

This left the back row off limits, and the spot next to Toph, and as his mind continued running off without him, there was really not many options left. He had to act quickly, impulsively.

Aang, Aang, he thought, of course, the obvious thing would be to sit down on the corner of the bench, next to the Avatar. Sometimes, he didn't mind the kid. He wasn't so overwhelming when he wasn't goofing off doing _Aang _things and asking too many questions that caused his temple to throb sporadically. He was comforting, in that way he felt _welcomed. _And on top of that, he wouldn't be talking too much due to the fact it was one, a play, and two, there was a dire need to be concealed for the big fat blue arrow on his head.

But the seat next to Katara was empty.

On this one, he doesn't think, his feet just act stupid and move faster because from the corner of his eye and shadow of his hood, he can see a concerned airbender fidget with eyes set on the seat as well. Because from the other corner, he sees _her _tense as well, the look of nervousness in her eyes that appears every time Aang ends up alone with her in a room. After what happened on the search with the Southern Raiders, and all that heavy, drowning past of his, he feels that he _owes _her this one. So he purposely cuts off Aang and replies something smart and promptly stares ahead. It's not necessarily _logical, _but somewhere in his head, it makes sense. He always ends up near her anyway, always ends up finding himself protecting her, because it seems nobody else bothers to worry about her since she's the one always, always protecting everyone else in her grasp.

Zuko had a fear Katara would cut in, maybe offer sitting in the middle, knowing her. She doesn't. She says nothing, sweet nothing at all, and it's almost like the pure satisfaction of not being rejected.

Her shoulders relax, she glances at him, he catches it, and holds on to it.

-x-

As they stand to leave the seating room during intermission, they must squeeze through crowds and lines of people rushing for food, bathroom breaks, idle chatter and a smoke or two, but there is a moment that he is close enough to brush her back with his chest, and honestly, he cannot help himself but lean down and whisper in her ear with a low voice, "_Oh_ Jet, _you're so bad_."

Her mouth drops wide and horrified and her immediate reply is an elbow into his gut. With a mixture of a dark smirk and a painful groan, he noticed as she snapped her head over her shoulder, that her cheeks were burning red.

"Y-You're such a jerk! And I never said that!" Katara viciously threw a death glare over her shoulder at him, but he's pretty sure he saw the corning of her lips fold upward into a smile.

The crowd began to break apart as they entered the concession area. Together, the entire group slipped away to an empty hallway, to sit on lonely stairs. He leaned against the rail, arms crossed, she sat on the top step, and occasionally he shot her teasing looks, only to be attacked by more killing stares.

She bit her lip to keep from laughing (nobody noticed).

-x-

He won't lie, watching themselves in the crystal catacombs, where the shining green is so familiar, is quite awkward.

And it's not because their actors are flirting. He doesn't glance at Katara and cringe and scoot just a bit toward Aang because their characters are pressing their faces so close together and romantically and uncomfortably. And he knows Katara is acting the same for the very reason.

It's because only _they _know what exactly happened in those moments of imprisonment. Only they know the secrets spilled, the quietness shared, the brush of hand against scar and the offer of healing and tenderness that Zuko still can't forget in his dreams. They cringe because the world has it so wrong and has _no idea _of the truth.

They both look away quickly, because they also remember what happened afterward, when he chose to throw it all away and hurt them all, and they both know how much that _really affected _them deep inside.It's something they don't want to remember or forget or tell.

It makes him sick to relive the truth in his head while she sits right next to him.  
-x-

"Has anybody seen Aang?"

She had slipped away fast and the group had hardly acknowledged her. He hardly notices as well. His thoughts are being dunked under the memories of Ba Sing Se and his uncle over and over again, with no chance to gasp for breath in between.

By the time she comes back, intermission is over and they are already sitting down in the theater.

He had saved her seat.

Katara walked in head up, eyes washed over, no smile. No Aang. Stiffly seating herself down between Zuko and Toph, she roughly shoved a hand under her eye and stared ahead at the unopened curtain and people drifting in. Turning his head slightly, he recognized this look. It was angry and sad and upset all at once, similar to the face he seemed to hide behind for so long after Ba Sing Se, with his sister, with Mai, with everyone after his biggest regret.

And he can't stand it.

Leaning slightly over with his torso, he whispered in her ear, "Something…wrong?" The static noise of the crowd echoed all through the room, covering his voice for anyone else to hear. She was startled at the question though, almost not hearing it at first, until she glanced at him and read it off his face.

"It's nothing—I'm fine, I'm tired, just—It's…_Aang_."

They both stare ahead, waiting for the show to start, and even when it does, they continue speaking in the lowest of intervals as she explains finding Aang on the patio, his anger, his confusion, his kiss. Zuko shifted closer to her. "He was convinced that we were going….to…be…together after the war. Me being his girlfriend. And honestly, that's not something I want to think about right now."

He nodded. He knew and understood the logic of putting aside romance for the sake of duty, he had left his girlfriend in a prison with his sister for Agni's sake, and he couldn't help but stare at her eyes as she stared down at her own hands. The play disappeared around them, the drone of their mismatched actors talking about something of the Avatar waking up.

"Do _you _want to be with him?"

"I..uh.."

"That's a no, I'm guessing."

"No! I mean, yes? I just don't know, Zuko. I told him that. I don't want to think about it right now. I'm confused. We've got much bigger things to think about than relationships."

Again, he nodded, running a hand down the gold pattern of his pants. "Look, Katara, you did the right thing. Just wait till all this is over, the war, and see how it goes. He'll understand," he paused, looking up at the actors talking around what looked like a Painted Lady, "He _has to._"

With his reassurance, she nodded, eyes still cast down. Nodding over and over, he watched her face crease and crinkle and slowly she looked sideways toward him, with an achy voice finally asked him, "He loves me. I know he does. But what if _I don't love him? _Not like that." She brought a hand to her mouth, and even softer asked, "But what if I can't break his heart? He's the Avatar, my spirits, does he really deserve that?"

His heart beat was in his stomach. All he could do was stare, mouth open, eyes flickering at hers. The answer was being searched and searched for within his chest, but nothing came out. The stare was broken when they both heard footsteps and Aang sit down _behind _them, pouting and sulking.

Snapping back toward the play, Katara and Zuko watched without absorbing. Seconds later, he tapped a finger against her thigh and mouthed, "_Do you?"_

Do you deserve that? To break your heart for the Avatar? To love him with a mask to keep his happiness from shattering any more than it already has?

They both frowned because they both know her too well.

-x- 

Toward the finale, when Aang enters that brilliantly blood red room, and when Ozai stands to his feet and the yellow comet soars above him, Katara grabs Zuko's hand.

He holds it back, even if it's just for the briefest of seconds, because he's scared too.

-x-

At the end of the play, even when this play has reached the top of his list ever that induces acid reflux reactions, at least sitting next to her had no regrets.

--


End file.
